A method and system for allowing a user to perform electronic data gathering.
A
data target icon floats over the other open windows and is always visible regardless
of what other applications are in use. The data target icon serves as a "hotspot"
for the user to save "gems" of data into a gem database. The user may, for example,
drag and drop the item to be saved as a gem onto the data target icon. The data
target icon serves as an entry-point into other features of a user interface. For
example, by double clicking the data target icon, the user will be led to a gem
toolbar. The gem toolbar can be used to access the various activities, such as
a gem explorer, etc. In the described embodiment, the gem toolbar is implemented
as a foldable window, in which windows are expanded in alternating orthogonal directions.
